Lubrication of textile apparatus



April 3, 1957 w. B. MILLER ET AL 2,789,316

LUBRICATION OF TEXTILE APPARATUS Filed Dec. 1'7, 1952 INVENTORS. WILLIAM B.MILLER DOYAL A.BLANKENSH|P United States Patent LUBRICATION oETnxrrrEArPAnAr-us:

William Ell filler, andDoyal A. Blankenship, Rome, Ga assignors to Celanese Corporation of America, New York, N. Y., a corporation ofrDelaware pn ca m e 11 5. 9. SerialtNo. 32 637.62

12 a ms, .8.

This. invention relates to. textile apparatus and more particularly'toz apparatus for'the production of artificial filaments- In the production of artificial: filaments by the wetspinning process, a. solution ofa filament-forming material ina suitable solvent is. forced through. a. spinning jet having. one or more orifices intoa liquid'coagulating medium or spin bath, which causes the filament-forming material to set in filamentary form. Usually the spinning jet has a plurality of orifices. and produces a plurality of filaments, or. yarn. This yarn is pulled through thebath by a. driving force applied to a godet roller which is usually located above the spin bath. Theyarngenerally is given twoor more turns around thegodet roller in order to insure. that there is adequate contact between the godet roller and the. yarn, thus avoiding.

slippage of the yarn. Inorder to space-these turns-along the length of the godet roller. so as to prevent successive turnsfrom interfering with one another, it is customary to provide a freely rotatable or idler roller suitably spacedfrom. the godet roller, and with its axis skewed wit-h respect to that of the godetroller, and to pass the yarn first around the godet roller at one poinbalong its length,

then around the idler roller and thenback around the godet: roller at anotheripoint along its length. It is also common. practice to stretch. the. yarn before itreaches the godet roller by providing a pair of grooved, tapered,- freely rotatable stretching rollers around which theyarn-makes a plurality of turns, usually after the filaments leave the spin bath,

In the spinning operation described above, the lubrica tion of. the mountings of the variousyarn-d-r-iven rollers,

andpart-icularly of the idler roller, presents; a serious problem. Such inadequatellubrication of the-yarn-driven rollers frequently results. in uneven tension on the yarn and consequent deformation of-the filamentary'material;

thus destroying the uniformity ofthe properties of the It is not feasible to use any of the accumulate-in the lubricant unless flushed away, This problem'of lubrication is particularly serious inthe spinning of a viscose solution in a. spinbathcomprisingaquer ou s sulfuric acid, since many of'the lubricants employed in the art are deleterious/1y affected by. the sulfuric acid of said spin bath.

It is therefore an object of our invention to;proyide;,a

novel and improved apparatus and process for lubricating textile rollers.

A, further object of our invention, is therprovision of! an. apparatus for lubricating,t the idler-rollers, cooperating with, the. godeti rollers, which: will: be especially: efi'rcient and economical; inoperatiom "ice Other objects of our invention will appear-from the following detailed description and claims.

According to our invention, the mountings'of the various freely rotatable rollers overwhich thefllaments pass in their travel from the spin bath-to thegodet when are lubricated by spinbath liquid carried by the yarn. This spin bath liquid is ordinarily thrown off the rollers, in the form of a spray, due to the centrifugal-force caused by the. rotation of the rollers.

mountings to serve as a lubricant. More particularly, we provide a target plate between the-godet roller-and the idler roller. This plate isarranged' to receive liquid spray from the godet roller on-one of itsf'aces and li'quid spray from the idler roller on itsother face. Theliquid collected onthe target plate drains down to a delivery point from which it drips into a lubricating-grooveconnected with the mounting for-the idlerrollen We have found that the amount of li'quid'v carried by the yarn to the godetand idler rollers is frequently inadequate to furnishgood lubrication, particularly whenthe yarn must pass over a pair of grooved stretching rollers, situated above the spin bath, before it-reaches and this returned liquid is then availablefor; lubricating themounting for the idler roller.

A large. proportion of the liquidl-ost by the yarn during its-passage over the grooved stretching rollers is thrown offfrom the conventional tapered flanges which are integral with the stretching rollers and which are located at' the narrow ends of said rollers. Accordingly, our preferred splash shield for stretching rollers includes a target fin; arranged to receive sprayfrom the tapered flange of the upper stretching roller. The splash shield'is' also provided with a drip fin at an angle to the target 1fin and arrangedto receive spray from the upper stretching roller and to receive liquid draining from the target fin: The drip fin has an inclined lower edge along which liquid draining from the drip fin can flow. At the end of this edge-is a pointed tip located directly over thelast groove engaged by the yarn before the yarn leaves the-grooved stretching rollers. The liquid flowing down the inclined edge of the drip fin drops offthe pointed tip into the last groove and is thus returned to the yarn just as the yarn leaves the stretching rollers.

Our preferred splash shield is also provided with means for supplying liquid to the lubricating grooves of the mountings for the stretching rollers; Preferably,

thisme'ans includes a back shield'for receivingsome of the liquid sprayed by the stretching rollers andflridges,

connected with the back shield for-leading liquid from the back shield into the lubricating grooves ofthe mountings for the stretching rollers.

Inthe drawing, wherein a preferred embodiment of this invention is shown,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view showing the spin bath, stretching rollers, splash shield, godet roller and" idler roller,

Fig. Zis a cross-sectional view of thesplashshieldjand the mounting for the stretching rollers, taken'along the We provide 'mea-ns for collecting this liquid spray and delivering it tothe roller In the drawing reference numeral 11 designates a yarn which is formed by the extrusion of a spinning solution through a spinnerette (not shown) and into a spin bath 12. The yarn 11 is drawn through and out of the spin bath 12 and through a stretching device, designated gen erally by reference numeral 14, by a driven tapered godet roller 16. The yarn passes around the godet roller 16 at one point along its length, then passes around a freely rotatable tapered idler roller 17 and then again around the godet roller 16 at another point along its length. After leaving the godet roller 16, the yarn is subjected to the usual treatments, such as washing and desulfuring, or first collected on a bobbin or in a centrifugal bucket.

The tapered idler roller 17 is provided with an integral flange 18 intermediate its ends and is mounted for free rotation on an axle 19, preferably of glass, which is held in a bushing 21, part of which extends into a support 22. The axle 19 and bushing 21 are held in fixed position, with axle 19 skewed with respect to the axis of the godet roller 16, by a set screw 23 (Fig. 3) carried by support 22, passing through a hole 24 in bushing 21 and bearing against the axle 19. Bushing 21 is provided with a lubricating groove 26 which extends along the length of that portion of bushing 21 which is outside of the suppont 22. Integral with support 22 is a target plate 27 which is located between the godet roller 16 and the idler roller 17, and which is advantageously in a vertical plane. This target plate 27 includes a curved portion 28, situated above the flange 18 of the idler roller 17, provided with a pointed delivery tip 29 located over the lubricating groove 26 of the bushing 21. The arrangement of the target plate 27 is such that it collects, on one face thereof, liquid sprayed from the godet roller 16 and, on its other face, liquid sprayed from the idler roller 17. Because of the design of the target plate 27 and delivery tip 29 most of the liquid collected on both faces drips off the delivery tip 29 into the lubricating groove 26. The delivery tip 29 is spaced from the elements adjacent to it so as to prevent the drops of liquid on said tip from being diverted by contact with such elements.

As stated, the yarn is operated upon by the stretching device 14 in its travel from the spin bath 12 to the godet roller 16. The stretching device 14 comprises an upper tapered roller 31 and a lower tapered roller 32, which rollers are mounted for free rotation on upper and lower glass axles 33 and 34, respectively. Upper glass axle 33 is carried, at one end, in an upper support 36 which is integral with one frame bar 33 of an H-shaped frame 39. At its other end, the upper glass axle 33 is held in an upper bushing 41, part of which extends into another frame bar 42 of the frame 39, the bushing 41 and axle 33 being held in fixed position by a set screw 43. This set screw 43 is carried by the frame bar 4-2, passes through a hole 44 in the bushing 41, and abuts against the upper axle 33. The lower axle 34 is supported in essentially the same manner. Thus, at one end this lower axle 34 is carried by a lower support 46 integral with one frame bar 38, and at its other end the lower axle is held in a lower bushing 47, part of which extends into the other frame bar 42 of frame 39. The bushing 47 and axle 34 are held in fixed position by a set screw 4-8 carried by frame bar 42, passing through a hole :9 in the bushing 47 and abutting against the axle 34. The supports for the upper and lower axles 33 and 34 are arranged so that their axes make a small angle with each other, as shown in Fig. l of the drawing.

Each of the tapered stretching rollers 31 and 32 is provided along its length with spaced individual circumferential grooves 50 adapted to receive the yarn passing over said roller. The outermost circular groove, located at the widest grooved portion of the upper stretching roller 31, is designated by reference numeral 51 and its function will be discussed below. The upper stretching roller 31 carries an integral tapered flange 52, located of the upper roller 31.

adjacent to the narrowest grooved portion of tapered stretching roller 31. A similar integral tapered flange 53 is provided adjacent to the narrowest grooved portion of the tapered lower stretching roller 32. In operation, the yarn 11 passes from the spin bath 12 into the first groove 50 located adjacent to flange 52 of the upper stretching roller 31. It thus first engages the upper stretching roller 31 at the narrowest portion of that roller. After passing over the upper roller 31 at its narrowest portion, the yarn 11 then passes to a groove 50 around the narrowest portion of the lower stretching roller 32, then back to a groove 50 of a somewhat Wider portion In this manner the yarn 11 proceeds from the narrower to the wider portions of the tapered upper and lower stretching rollers 31 and 32. Just before the yarn 11 leaves the stretching device it comes in contact with the outermost grooves 51 of the upper stretching roller 31. It is apparent that the rotational speed, c. g. the number of revolutions per minute, must be the same at all points of the upper stretching roller 31, While the linear circumferential speed of the narrowest portion of the roller, i. e. the portion of smallest diameter, is less than the linear speed of the wider portions of the roller. The same applies to the lower stretching roller 32. Accordingly, the yarn, in passing from the narrow to the wide portions of the stretching rollers, travels from portions of lower linear speed to portions of higher linear speed and is therefore stretched.

The stretching device is provided with a splash shield indicated generally by reference numeral 56, which is attached to the frame bar 42 of the frame 33 by means of screws 57 passing through a flanged strap portion 58 (Fig. 2) of the splash shield 56. t is important that this splash shield be properly designed to deliver a considerable amount of liquid to the yarn as it leaves the stretching rollers. The splash shield 56 includes an inclined triangular target fin 59 extending over most of the upper stretching roller 31 and arranged to catch liquid thrown off from the upper roller 31 during the rotation of said roller. The target fin 59 is particularly designed to catch liquid thrown off by the guide flange 52 of the upper roller 31. Integral with said target fin 59 and at an angle thereto is an inclined drip fin 61, which is arranged to catch liquid thrown off from the upper stretching roller 31 and also to receive liquid draining from the target fin 59. This drip fin 61 has sharply beveled, inclined lower edge 62 which terminates in a drip point 63 situated directly above the circular groove 51, thus supplying liquid to the yarn 11 as it leaves the upper stretching roller 31. In Fig. 1 of the drawing, drops 64 of the liquid are shown draining in this manner.

The glass axles 33 and 34 for the upper and lower stretching rollers 31 and 32 are lubrictaed through upper and lower lubricating grooves 66 and 67 of the upper and lower bushings 41 and 47, respectively. These grooves 66 and 67, which are located in those portions or" the bushings 41 and 47 not within the supporting frame bar 42, extends through the bushings 41 and 47 to the glass axles 33 and 34. In order to supply these lubricating grooves 66 and 67 with liquid thrown off by the rotation of stretching roller 31 and 32, the splash shield 56 is provided with a curved back shield 68 integral with the flanged strap portion 53, and said flanged portion 58 is provided with upper and lower ridges 71'and 72 arranged to direct any liquid flowing down the back shield 68 and the flanged portion 58 into an upper channel 73 and a lower channel 74. These channels 73 and 74 are cut into the frame bar 42 of the H-shaped frame 33 and communicate with the lubricating grooves 66 and 67 respectively.

Advantageously, the stretching device 14 is mounted in a manner that a plane through its roller axes is inclined at a 25 degree angle to the vertical, with screw 43 being thus tilted to the left, in Fig. 2, of screw 48, and with a plane through one of the bars, 42 or 38, tilted at an angle of 5 to the vertical, thus bringing screw 43 to the left, in Fig. l, of screw 48. By mounting the stretching device in this manner the yarn is enabled to travel more easily in an unimpeded path from the bath 12 to the upper stretching roller 31, then back and forth between rollers 31 and 32, and finally 01f roller 31 to the godet wheel 16.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is given merely by way of illustration and that many variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having described our invention, what we desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for the treatment of travelling filamentary wet with liquid, a device for stretching said filamentary material and for removing liquid therefrom centrifugally to an extent that the filamentary material as it approaches the point of leaving said device has a lower liquid content than the filamentary material entering said device, means for collecting said removed liquid and for returning at least a portion of aid collected liquid to the filamentary material leaving said device, a rotatable roller means engaged by said travelling filamentary material next after the collected liquid has been applied thereto, a bearing in said roller means, and means for directing, to said bearing for lubricating said bearing, at least a portion of said liquid returned to said filamentary material.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said device for stretching comprises a roller over which the filamentary material passes.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, in which apparatus said means for collecting comprises a shield for receiving liquid sprayed centrifugally from said roller of said stretching device due to the rotation of said roller of said stretching device.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, in which said collecting and returning means comprises a plate mounted in the path of liquid sprayed centrifugally from said roller of said stretching device and a plate angularly disposed to said first plate and having an inclined edge for delivering collected liquid to the filamentary material leaving said stretching device.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 and comprising a bearing for said roller of said stretching device and means for directing at least a portion of said centrifugally removed liquid to said bearing of said roller of said stretching device.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said device for stretching comprises a roller having a plurality of circumferential grooves with which said filamentary material comes into contact in succession, and in which said means for collecting and returning is constructed and arranged to apply the collected liquid at the groove last contracted by the filamentary material before leaving said roller of said device for stretching.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said device for stretching comprises a pair of rollers having circumferential grooves and around which said filamentary material is trained in said grooves back and forth in paths increasing in length as said filamentary material passes along said rolls, and in which apparatus said means for collecting and returning comprises a shield for receiving liquid spray cast off during the rotation of said rollers of said stretching device and has a surface for directing at least a portion of said spray to the groove last contacted by said filamentary material before leaving said pair of rollers.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which there are means for collecting liquid sprayed centrifugally from said filamentary material, during its engagement with said roller means, for delivery to said means for directing liquid to said bearing.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said roller means comprises a godet roller and an idler roller over which said filamentary material passes.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 and in which a plate is mounted between said godet roller and said idler roller and arranged to catch liquid spray from said godet roller on one of its faces and liquid spray from said idler roller on its opposite face for delivery to the bearing of said idler roller.

11. In an apparatus for the treatment of travelling filamentary material wet with applied liquid, a device, including a roller having a plurality of circumferential grooves with which said filamentary material comes into contact in succession, for stretching said filamentary material, means for collecting liquid sprayed centrifu gally from said filamentary material due to the rotation of said roller, said collecting means comprising a plate mounted in the path of said sprayed liquid and a plate angularly disposed to said first plate and having an inclined edge along which said liquid flows and a pointed tip at the end of said inclined edge for delivering liquid to the roller groove last contacted by the filamentary material before leaving said device.

12. In an apparatus for the treatment of filamentary material wet with liquid, a godet roller and a rotatable idler roller, a bearing for said idler roller and a plate between said godet roller and said idler roller and arranged to catch liquid sprayed centrifugally from said godet roller, due to the rotation of said godet roller, on one of its faces and liquid sprayed from said idler roller, due to the rotation of said idler roller, on its opposite face, said plate having a downwardly depending point for delivering said sprayed liquid to said bearing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,977,611 Banigan Oct. 23, 1934 2,541,149 Birkenhauer Feb. 13, 1951 2,608,850 Fry Sept. 2, 1952 2,694,308 Kuljian Nov. 16, 1954 

